Erik ten Hag gets the boost Manchester United desperately need ahead of West Ham fixture

For all the progress Manchester United have made this season, the possibility of missing out on a return to Champions League football, after all, is becoming an alarming possibility.

Since ending the trophy drought at the end of February, United have begun to falter and lose their consistency as the demanding fixture schedule has taken its toll and injuries have stacked up. Even in the matches Erik ten Hag's side have managed to win in recent weeks, it's clear the team is fading and is desperate to reach the finish line after such a gruelling campaign.

United haven't scored more than two goals in a game since the FA Cup quarter-final win over Fulham and all three of them only came after the Cottagers had imploded and seen two men sent off. After that, you have to go back to March 9 since the side's last dominant, comprehensive victory, when they stuck four past Real Betis.

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It's not due to a lack of quality. United have started nearly every match over the last month excellently and have often raced into comfortable leads, sometimes looking as though they were about to blow away their opponents, only to then either throw it all away or nervously escape by the skin of their teeth.

They have only managed to score in the second half in two of their last ten matches and those came against Nottingham Forest and Everton, two-thirds of the current bottom three. It has become an obvious and concerning trend that United fade away after the break and are unable to maintain their dominance and control.

It highlights Ten Hag's desire for another quality midfielder as no other player at his disposal is able to replicate Christian Eriksen's role in the side and it's